The present invention is directed to labels for identifying and displaying information regarding goods, and, more particularly, to labels of such nature which provide means for suspending the associated goods or packaging.
In administering certain medicines and pharmaceuticals, it is necessary to suspend a bottle or other package containing the pharmaceutical product from a hanger or like support. In particular, intravenously administered fluids are typically contained in a bottle which is suspended from an extended hanger to provide gravity induced flow of the fluid.
It is highly desirable that the container be conveniently and securely suspended. While various separate and detachable harnesses into which the container may be mounted have been used, such harnesses are relatively inconvenient as they require the step of placing the container in the harness or securing the harness about the container in addition to the step of mounting the harness on the hanger. Various other supports have been developed wherein a hanging loop is more or less permanently secured to the container with the hanging loop foldable between an extended position to receive the hanger and a closed position wherein the hanging loop is flat against the bottle. Typically, the hanging loop in the closed position lies adjacent the end of the bottle, often making the container unstable when placed on end. These designs are generally formed of shrink wrapped plastic or foil. As a result, they add considerable additional cost and weight to the overall packaging.
One alternative to the above disclosed hanging and labeling means is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,125 to Andel et al. The Andel reference discloses a label for identifying contents of intravenous feeding bottles having formed as an integral part thereof a hanging ring for suspending the bottle from an intravenous stand. The label is built up from at least one layer of film, a layer of printing ink, and a layer of adhesive. The handle is defined in the label by a pair of die cut lines that penetrate at least the one layer of film in the label. A release coating is applied between the layer of film in the bottle and a portion of the label defined by the handle to permit the handle to be peeled away from the bottle and the remaining portion of the label. The disclosed label design suffers from several drawbacks, however. Because release coating is employed, the phenomenon commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cadhesive lock upxe2x80x9d may be experienced. In this case, the handle portion would be difficult to pull away from the remainder of the label, and moreover, destruction to the second layer of the label or the container to which the label is affixed may be caused. Further, the manufacturing step of applying the release coating adds time, complexity, and cost to the formation of the labels. Because the handle is formed from cuts within a continuous layer of film, there may be a tendency for the cuts to run when load is placed on the handle. Because the film layer in which the handle is defined covers the entire surface of the label, it is relatively difficult to access an edge of the handle by which to peel it up. Where the handle is printed on, care must be taken to properly configure the print in the handle, disposed on the handle layer but outside of the handle, and disposed on the underlying layer, if any, to ensure that no indicia which is intended to be seen when the handle is either up or down, is obfuscated or separated.
Thus, there exists a need for a label for identifying and displaying information regarding an article which provides means for suspending the article. There exists a need for such a label which overcomes the drawbacks and deficiencies of the prior art. There exists a need for such a label which may be conveniently and cost effectively manufactured. Further, there exists a need for a method and apparatus for forming such labels.
The present invention is directed to a label for displaying information regarding an article and suspending the article from a support. The label includes a base label having an upper surface and a lower surface and a base adhesive disposed on the lower surface for affixing the label to the article. A hanger defining an opening has at least one end thereof connected to the base label. The hanger is foldable about the at least one end between a stored position wherein the hanger lies adjacent the upper surface of the base label and a hanging position wherein the hanger is folded away from the base label for receiving the support through the opening. A carrier portion forms a part of the hanger. A base portion underlies the carrier portion. The base portion is separable from the base label and secured to at least a portion of the carrier portion by a carrier portion adhesive. The label may be incorporated into a suspendable package assembly including the article.
The label may include a cut line in the hanger, the cut line defining the opening and a cut out tab. The cut out tab is secured to the upper surface of the base label such that, when the hanger is folded from the stored position to the hanging position, the cut out tab remains with the base label.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the carrier portion is located between the opening and the end of the hanger. Indicia may be disposed on the base portion. The indicia may include an electronically readable code.
According to another aspect of the invention, the base portion is substantially permanently secured to the carrier portion by the carrier portion adhesive. A base portion adhesive may be disposed on a lower surface of the base portion and a release liner may be removably secured to the base portion by the base portion adhesive. A lower surface of the base portion may be substantially free of exposed, tacky adhesive.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the base portion is removably secured to the carrier portion by the carrier portion adhesive. Coupon indicia may be provided on the base portion whereby the base portion serves as a removable coupon. A base portion adhesive may be disposed on a lower surface of the base portion. The carrier portion adhesive may be a low tack adhesive. A portion of the carrier portion adhesive may be deadened. The carrier portion adhesive may be patterned such that a portion of the carrier portion is free of adhesive. A deadened hanger adhesive may be disposed on a lower surface of the carrier portion, the carrier portion adhesive being a low tack adhesive engaging the deadened hanger adhesive.
According to another aspect of the invention, the label includes an electronically readable tag. The tag may be positioned between the carrier portion and the base portion. The tag may be adhered to the carrier portion. The base portion may include an edge portion adhered to the carrier portion by the carrier portion adhesive, the edge portion surrounding at least a portion of the tag.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the hanger has at least one leg and at least one anchoring portion is connected to the leg and secured to the upper surface of the base label by at least one adhesive patch.
Objects of the present invention will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the Figures and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments which follow, such description being merely illustrative of the present invention.